Thunderbird Club

[godofthunder59]

Thunderbird brethren I am launching Dasson Bass. I will be building as accurate as possible Non reverse Birds. I'll keep the club apprised.

 

[Larry V]

Best wishes for this endeavor and I look forward to seeing your work!

 

[TBird1958]

Thunderbird brethren I am launching Dasson Bass. I will be building as accurate as possible Non reverse Birds. I'll keep the club apprised.

Scott,

Here's wishing you success with your your new basses!
Please post your news here, and for all of you that don't know, Scott is THE MAN when it comes to Non Reverse Thunderbirds.

Rock on!

 

[Klondike]

Well if you're looking for another bass player to join you there's always Klondike. I think my head would explode if I saw a band with two Tbirds jamming! Oh, but what a way to go.

Funny thing is we were JUST talking about something like that the other night. Lol

 

[godofthunder59]

Thanks guys! I have more news. I am reviewing the final drawings for the Badbird II, a 60's style two piece bridge that will fit post '89 Gibson Thunderbirds and Epiphone Thunderbirds. 60's tone and feel for your modern Thunderbird! Also coming are Pickup covers and bridge covers (like Fender ashtrays) all pieces are high quality made in USA product. Watch this space.

 

[mistergoats]

I've always been a solid state fan because of the durability (which is probably at least partly hooey, but that's here nor there towards acquiring heads).

Tubes and solid state are totally different, and as for durability, it's crazy how different they can be. I've had two SVT's - and 80's Japanese MTI version and my current 90's SLM SVT-CL. On a gig one time in the late 90's, Joey Keithly from DOA knocked my rig over before we were going to start playing while they were loading in. I was mortified and thought I was hooped. It sounded like glass broke. I got it back up, pulled the back off and looked inside. Looked fine. It fell about 4 feet off the cab to the stage floor. I fired it up and checked it and it was fine and I could hardly believe it.

I took my Ampeg PF350 to rehearsal, attached to a speaker cab flip-top style, and midway through our second song, it just died. And it smelled like burning.

TL;DR - I've had nothing but luck with tube amps staying alive on the road after horrendous falling and bumping around in a van, and I've had solid state amps just inexplicably die. My current '94 SVT hasn't seen any road time yet, but I went over it with a fine toothed comb and even got a couple of new chassis bolts for it and it's solid as anything now.

 

[godofthunder59]

I have used tube gear my entire career except for a six month stint in '82 with a GK 800RB. I have had very few failures on the road but I always carry a backup, These days I carry a Orange TB 500 or a Hiwatt DR103. Past stand ins have been anything from Peavey, Sunn, Acoustic, Ampeg etc.

 

[mistergoats]

I'm saving my bank for a Reeves custom 400, which will relegate the SVT to backup duty.

 

[TBird1958]

Thanks guys! I have more news. I am reviewing the final drawings for the Badbird II, a 60's style two piece bridge that will fit post '89 Gibson Thunderbirds and Epiphone Thunderbirds. 60's tone and feel for your modern Thunderbird! Also coming are Pickup covers and bridge covers (like Fender ashtrays) all pieces are high quality made in USA product. Watch this space.

That's cool! Hhhhmmmmmm........Might be perfect for my Nikki Sixx Mk.II.

 

[imdkoz]

Has anyone swapped out the Epiphone pickups for Gibson TB plus, Deep Sixx or the EMG TBTW? The TB Plus and EMG have one screw on each side, so a little bit of a mod with those. I would buy used of course because I don't want to spend more on PUPs than the bass itself.

Also anyone add the Fender TBX and was it a noticeable improvment? Thanks!!

 

[Haji]

I have not done it, so I saw no change at all.

 

[wolfkeller]

LJVSK hooked me up with a custom pickguard for my lefty t bird world of difference and a nice job!

 

[wolfkeller]

Has anyone swapped out the Epiphone pickups for Gibson TB plus, Deep Sixx or the EMG TBTW? The TB Plus and EMG have one screw on each side, so a little bit of a mod with those. I would buy used of course because I don't want to spend more on PUPs than the bass itself.

Also anyone add the Fender TBX and was it a noticeable improvment? Thanks!!

I added a TBX on one of my basses, it adds an extra treble bite when turned past the center detent, I dig it

 

[imdkoz]

I added a TBX on one of my basses, it adds an extra treble bite when turned past the center detent, I dig it

Thanks wolfkeller. That might be what I'm missing. It just seems like there's not enough highs and the mids are boomy. Like an overall lack of definition and I wonder how much of that are the strings. Hmmm....

 

[Larry V]

LJVSK hooked me up with a custom pickguard for my lefty t bird world of difference and a nice job!

Looks great, Bryan! Excellent call on matching the TBird with the top hat inserts!

 

[wolfkeller]

Thanks wolfkeller. That might be what I'm missing. It just seems like there's not enough highs and the mids are boomy. Like an overall lack of definition and I wonder how much of that are the strings. Hmmm....

I always use either roto 66 or blue steel. Add that extra treble and its sweet. I believe it cuts some bass as well, always the best way to cut through

 

[imdkoz]

I always use either roto 66 or blue steel. Add that extra treble and its sweet. I believe it cuts some bass as well, always the best way to cut through

I might pick up a set non coated strings to swap and see what difference those make. I've had DR coated strings before and they sounded good.

 

[wolfkeller]

I might pick up a set non coated strings to swap and see what difference those make. I've had DR coated strings before and they sounded good.

I used the black beauties on P basses for a few years in a sabbath tribute, they are a mellower sound, alot less top end to me.

 

[imdkoz]

I used the black beauties on P basses for a few years in a sabbath tribute, they are a mellower sound, alot less top end to me.

I have a set of DR Fat Beams at the house that I was going to put on my Jazz that I might throw on and see how they sound. If I do go the TBX route would you mind letting me know how you wired it? My soldering skills are fair to midland at best.

 

[rickwebb]

Re: Tubes- I run my Epi Classic through an one of my Ampeg SVP-PRO or SVP-CL preamps and it sounds amazing.
The Tech21 VT pedal also emulates that sound very closely.

Re: Fender TBX control- again, installed in my Classic. REALLY cleans up the lows when I back off the bridge P/U. Highly recommended